Hanshi Jim Mather

Chief Instructor

CaliforniaKarateAcademy

California Karate Academy (CKA) is one of the country’s oldest Karate Schools. For over 50 years, we have offered highly effective, life-changing programs in classical karate and self-defense to men, women, teenagers, and children of all ages. You can find us conveniently located in the Cupertino, Saratoga, and West San Jose area.

Jim Mather is California Karate Academy’s Chief Instructor. He has devoted almost 60 years to perfecting and teaching the martial arts and, as a result, is recognized as one of the world’s leading martial arts experts.

He is also one of only a small number of martial artists in the world to be legitimately awarded the title of Hanshi, the highest in Karate. (The traditional order of high instructor titles, from lowest to highest, is Shihan, Renshi, Kyoshi, and Hanshi.)

A former National Karate Champion, Hanshi Mather went on to become one of the country’s top coaches. He was selected as one of only three allowed to train the official USA Karate Team at the United States Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs.